Dental Implants
Dr. Shepherd on Dental Implants Read Transcript
Implants are a wonderful advancement in dentistry. They've come a long way over the last 20 years. Where originally implants were not an excellent option for everybody who was missing teeth, now almost anyone who is missing a tooth is a candidate for an implant. It is virtually painless. There is no downtime after having the implant placed. Placing that titanium screw down in the jawbone allows us to build a tooth on top of it that will function just like your natural teeth. The nice thing about it is because there's no tooth structure to it, there's no chance for getting a cavity on it, there's no change that you're going to need a root canal on it.
They're made out of such strong materials now that it's almost unheard of to have one break. They're a great long-term solution for the patient to restore a missing tooth, or if you're missing multiple teeth, you can actually even build a bridge off implants. So we can place two implants, and build several teeth that span those two implants. If you're missing all of your teeth, you can even have a denture that actually snaps onto a couple of implants. For our patients who wear dentures, that is a phenomenal solution for them.
I've got some patients who have been wearing dentures for 20 years, and are so accustomed to the thing just floating around in their mouth, and not being able to eat anything but mashed potatoes that when we finally presented them with the solution, they didn't believe me. We place a few implants, make a couple of changes to the denture so that it now has something to snap onto. These patients are now eating hamburgers and steaks like they did when they were 20 years old.
Have your missing teeth forced you to change your diet? Do you keep your damaged teeth hidden behind closed lips when you get your picture taken? If you’re ready to get your powerful bite and beautiful smile back, contact Uptown Dental Associates for a variety of dental implant options in Albuquerque, NM!
At our lovely Albuquerque, NM dentist office, Dr. Ryan Shepherd and our professional team provide a variety of restorative dentistry options to rejuvenate your smile!
Your Dental Implants Options
At Uptown Dental Associates, we can use dental implants to replace a single tooth or even every tooth in your mouth! Here are just some of the dental implant restoration options we offer:
- Dental crowns – A crown can be created to fit perfectly on your dental implant and blend in naturally with the rest of your smile.
- Dental bridges – If you need to replace multiple adjacent teeth, we can provide a fixed dental bridge without having to modify your surrounding teeth.
- Implant dentures – We offer both implant-retained and implant-supported dentures so you won’t have to worry about your teeth coming loose.
Depending on your situation, if we need to perform a tooth extraction, we may even be able to place your dental implants in the same visit!
The Many Advantages Of Dental Implants
Because dental implants literally fuse with your jawbone, they provide a sturdy foundation for your replacement teeth – up to 90 percent of the biting power of your natural teeth!
Along with their strength, dental implants offer many advantages over other restorative options, because they:
- Look, feel, and function like your natural teeth
- Can last a lifetime with proper care
- Prevent bone and tissue loss, helping you maintain your youthful look
- Do not require modification of your surrounding healthy teeth
Suitable candidates for dental implants need a strong, thick jawbone. We will carefully assess your situation and explain all of your options before we begin any restorative procedures.
Your Comfort Is Our Priority
When you arrive at our beautiful office, we will do everything we can to put you at ease. To improve your comfort, we can provide options like:
- Care rooms with a serene view of our courtyard or private care rooms
- Pillows and blankets
- Headphones
We can even provide longer appointments by request so you won’t feel rushed and can help relieve your dental anxiety with dental sedation options!
Don’t put up with damaged or missing teeth – contact Uptown Dental Associates at 505-219-4548 to schedule your consultation for dental implants in Albuquerque, NM. You can also use our online form.